Crosswinds
Directed byLewis R. Foster
Written byLewis R. Foster
Produced byWilliam H. Pine
William C. Thomas
StarringJohn Payne
Rhonda Fleming
Forrest Tucker
CinematographyLoyal Griggs
Edited byHoward Smith
Music byLucien Cailliet
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • December 6, 1951 (1951-12-06)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1,250,000[1]

Crosswinds is a 1951 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Lewis R. Foster and starring Rhonda Fleming, John Payne and Forrest Tucker. It made by Pine-Thomas Productions for distribution by Paramount Pictures. It was Payne's sixth film for Pine-Thomas.[2] The film was rereleased in 1962 by Citation Films Inc. as Jungle Attack in a double bill with Untamed West.

Plot

One day in New Guinea, two men, "Jumbo" Johnson and seaplane pilot Nick Brandon, are discussing a possible gold heist. They have a drink with Katherine Shelley, an attractive widow who's obviously drinking away her sorrows.

A magnificent schooner called The Seeker docks in port, captained by Steve Singleton. As he proposes a pearl-diving expedition to Jumbo, he sees Brandon and, without explanation, punches him.

Katherine wants to go along, but Steve sets sail without her as soon as Jumbo arranges the necessary documents in town. Two weeks later, still without a pearl, Steve is boarded by Australian naval authorities who examine his papers and declare them forgeries. Steve is arrested and the boat impounded. While in jail, he learns Jumbo has bought the boat at auction.

Another vessel, The Susan, arrives with two Englishmen on board, Cecil Daubrey and "Mousey" Sykes. In need of a captain because theirs died mysteriously at sea, they watch Steve fix their engine and offer him a job as skipper.

Katherine and Brandon have disappeared. They left on his plane and never returned. Cecil and Mousey believe at least $10 million in gold was aboard Brandon's craft and intend to search for the plane, which is presumed to have crashed. They depart port with Steve at the helm, and ultimately find Brandon's dead body near an island where Katherine has been captured by native headhunters.

Jumbo joins forces with Steve, who explains that Brandon betrayed him during the war. They find the plane, only to be double-crossed by the Englishmen, who drop a net over them. Steve cuts them out with a knife and saves Jumbo's life. Plans backfire for Cecil, who is killed by headhunters' spears, and Mousey, who is thrown to the crocodiles. Steve gets back to port safely, and he and Katherine sail away together.

Cast

References

  1. ↑ "The Top Box Office Hits of 1951". Variety. January 2, 1952. p. 70. - Please note figures are for the US and Canada and are rentals not gross
  2. ↑ "JOHN PAYNE, RHONDA FLEMING NOW MUCH IN DEMAND". Weekly Times. No. 4278. Victoria, Australia. 20 June 1951. p. 46. Retrieved 15 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
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